A Lake Havasu City property owner opened his mailbox in September to find a bag filled with urine, containing his rental property’s keys and garage door opener. According to police, Ryan A. Mayo hadn’t taken his eviction well.

Mayo, 40, was a former employee of the Mohave County Medical Examiner’s Office who had been renting the property. Mayo allegedly left something else for his landlord, who was not identified by police: A domesticated corn snake within the residence.

Lake Havasu City Animal Control officers located the snake in a transparent tank, having burrowed beneath its bedding to warm itself. The snake and its tank were transported to the Western Arizona Humane Society, and left in the care of Humane Society employees. Then the search for Mayo began.

Officers attempted to locate Mayo through multiple contacts, but were unsuccessful. A warrant was obtained for Mayo’s arrest in October on charges of animal cruelty and destruction of property in reference to the garage door opener found in Mayo’s alleged urine-filled bag. Mayo remained at large until Nov. 24, when he was arrested at a Janet Drive address.

According to the police report, Mayo told police he owned a bulldog and a boa constrictor, but denied owning or abandoning any other snake at his former residence.